


One step at a time

by Marlemarle



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cheating, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Kids AU, M/M, Sad-ish, Single Parents, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-14 18:29:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18481915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marlemarle/pseuds/Marlemarle
Summary: “How about we’ll just sit in silence?”She ignored him, “I met Kuroo today!”“Oh yeah,” Suguru lifted his head off her shoulder, “and what about it?”“I got his number and  –““How lucky, you should hit that!”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rating may change
> 
> I’m a bit emo right now, so have a bit of emo fiction.
> 
> All warnings are in the tags.
> 
> I’m back on the kuroshou track, some art will be produced for this probably
> 
> Not beta-ed like always

It’s been a long day and night for Suguru. The kids waking each other up with every other hour with crying and waking up Suguru in the process. Finally at one in the afternoon, the twins fell into deep slumber, perhaps giving him the chance to take a short nap on this Sunday.

Suguru was somberly sitting on the couch, resting his arms on his knees, smoking a cigarette. The living room window was ripped open and the air cleaner running.

He was both lucky and unlucky - Lucky that he was a slightly successful with his webtoons and freelance editing, so he could afford having two toddlers at such a young age. Unlucky because he got someone pregnant when he was 20. Needless to say, the pregnancy was unplanned and since he was financially stable enough an abortion for the mother would be difficult to do with Japan’s laws. They did not profit from Japan’s sexism this time and suggested that they’d simply marry, instead of telling a young mother to avoid single parenthood and assuming only the mother would raise the children.

Here he was, 22 years old, a single dad and even if he hates feeling like that, slightly remorseful towards his children. He is was well aware that it was not his children’s fault they were brought into the world. Still, he cannot help that he sometimes has urge to throw them into the garbage, as much as he started to love them.

Can a man suffer from postpartum depression for two years?

Maybe he should talk to a doctor, get some medication and also maybe speak about a budding alcohol addiction and the ache to do cocaine like he’s still partying in high school and college – which was the cause of his children.

He was pretty sure that his doctor would call CPS on him immediately if he’d talk about his personal issues.

Suguru was just so stressed. His family won’t talk to him anymore, he doesn’t have time for his friends, his coworkers and boss don’t care about his family issues (and it’s none of their business) and you can only have so much deep conversations with your cat and toddlers. He supposed he is just lonely and is yearning back for the worst time in his live full of drugs, bad decisions and suicidal ideation.

He took a drag from his cigarette. If he wants to make his deadline he needs to get back to work.

Carefully he peeled himself off the couch, cigarette still hanging from his mouth, sneaking to the fridge so he wouldn’t wake up his children. He grabbed an energy drink.

For a minute he just stood at the fridge and stared at it deep in thought. In the end grabbed the bottle of vodka he hid lazily behind the cabbage and made himself a vodka energy. The best and worst drink.

Just as he took a sip he heard his front door unlock. Only one person has another key to his house.

“Classy,” his ex girlfriend Mika, not the mother of his children, immediately uttered. She didn’t even take off her shoes yet but already peered into the kitchen and spotted the alcohol “It’s barely two and you’re already smoking and drinking.”

Suguru just shrugged, “Why are you here?”

“Just wanted to make sure you’re still alive,” she patted his shoulder “But as I can see, barely.”

He rolled his eyes, taking a last drag from his cigarette.

“Maybe you shouldn’t smoke in the house, because of the children,” she crossed he arms “Or even better stop all together!”

“I quit cocaine when they were born, you can’t expect anything more from until they’re old enough to tell me off for smoking.” Suguru leaned on the counter, to look at Mika. She seemed well, but worried. The only friend he had still left. The woman he left because he had suspicion he was gay and then slapped her in the face immediately after by impregnating someone. He was lucky that she wasn’t a resentful person.

She let out a sigh “Can I see them?”

“Oh no. They’re asleep finally, they had nightmares and woke each other up so I’m glad they’re asleep now.”

“I’ll be quiet,”

“No,”

“Did you kill them?” She chuckled.

Again Suguru rolled his eyes “Just…” he covered his eyes not finishing his sentence and let out a breath “I’m just so tired.” He drank the rest of his terrible cocktail.

Mika tilted her head slightly. She had a pitying look on her face. Suguru hated it when she looked at him like that.

He wasn’t pitiful, many people go through the same thing. They can get out of it alone and so can he.

“That’s why I thought to come here today,” she put her hand on her chest “I’ll watch the kids today and you go to sleep?”

“I can’t, I have work to do.”

“Well, If I take care of the kids today, you can get work done faster and you can sleep earlier.”

Suguru thought about that for a while, “Can’t argue with that.”

“You see!” She patted him on the back “I love the babies, you love to sleep, it’s perfect!”

He was happy Mika decided to come by. Just short human contact, lifted up his mood, even if only by a little bit. Now he had enough energy to actually start working again. He only had two pages left, that’s doable in two hours and then he can finally sleep.

It only took him a few seconds after he sat down at his desk to light a new cigarette. Maybe this is the time to die or run away. If he would go now, wether by ending his life or running of to Paris after he shaved his hair and changed his name, the kids had someone to take care of them or at least drop them off at the adoption center. Mika would happily take care of the cat, since she was in love with it.

It would be perfect wouldn’t it. This moment right now. If he was smart about it, no one would find his body. No one except Mika would miss him and he wasn’t even sure Mika really cared that much about him. The children are too young to remember whatever bond they have. The longer he waits, the older they get, the more traumatic it would be for them to lose a parent.

Suguru flew through the two pages while fantasizing about murdering himself in various ways, lighting another cigarette. He leaned back in his office chair.

Thinking about suicide was easier when he was younger. He had less responsibility back then. Sure, he had more people he believed that cared about him, but he didn’t have a bank account or bills or children. Escaping seemed like a more realistic solution to his problems.

He doesn’t even understand why he’s so depressed right now. He has a good job, two beautiful children and at least one friend. Most people cannot say that about themselves. There are starving children in Africa after all, right? He doesn’t have a terrible life. Most have it worst.

All he needs is a good sleep and he’ll be fine again. He is just upset because he is tired. That’s it.

Once Suguru was in bed after he checked on his kids, he couldn’t sleep after all. Too exhausted or not exhausted enough to sleep. His ears were ringing and his eyes were burning. The one time he needed so sleep the insomnia kicked in. Maybe he shouldn’t have drank that vodka-energy and a tea instead, though he was petty sure the effects have worn off after that two hour work session.

He did not want to be in bed just thinking, so he did check phone. After an hour he got bored of it. This would turn into a long nap day.

Suguru groaned and got up. Maybe he’ll try to watch some television and fall asleep on the couch. That could work in his favor.

Slowly he slipped out of the bedroom. Mika was sitting on the couch, petting the cat and watching a movie with low volume. The babies were sound asleep, there was no reason for her to play with them now. She twirled her hair, looking at her phone and every now and then catching a glimpse on whatever was going on on the TV.

“Can’t sleep?” She said as soon as she noticed Suguru slowly walking over to her. He dropped himself down on the couch and immediately rested his head on her shoulder, “well since you’re up how about I’ll tell you the other reason I came here?”

«How about we’ll just sit in silence?”

She ignored him, “I met Kuroo today!”

“Oh yeah,” Suguru lifted his head off her shoulder “and what about it?”

“I got his number and  –“

“How lucky, you should hit that!”

She slapped his knee, “Listen to me!”

Suguru rolled his eyes.

“Anyways, I met him, we exchanged contact information and I think you should get in contact with him again too!”

He wrinkled up his nose in disgust, “I’d rather eat my children.”

Mika stared at him, “We both know if you didn’t like them a little bit and it wasn’t illegal you’d actually eat them!” She got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, “Do you want tea?”

“They smell really delicious and they think it’s funny when I tell them I’d eat them,” he thought about the tea question, “Yes, I’d like some tea and please bring me my cigarettes.”

After about five minutes Mika returned with two steaming mugs and his cigarettes, “I think you should get back in touch with him because –“

“I never asked why.”

She handed him his cup, “Because, I think it would be a good idea to get some closure.”

Suguru rolled his eyes back into his head, “What closure,” Mika presses her lips together and just shrugged, “explain that to me,” she shrugged again “What would I get out of closure?” She shrugged.

He squinted, “We started dating while we still kinda hated each other, which is fucked up in itself, spend two years being miserable with each other, then he cheated on me, while I was trying to sober up, so I gave it up then and impregnated someone,” he started rambling and gesticulated aggregated, “What closure do I get out of talking with him again, I’ll just jump him for fucking up my brain even more.”

Mika shrugged again. He scowled at her, anger bubbling in his stomach.

“Look, I think both of you were at a terrible place in your life when you were dating,” Suguru’s scowl got deeper, “And don’t look at me like that. I don’t think you should get back together, your relationship was very toxic. I just think,” she enunciated every word, “It would be good for the both of you, to see how you’re doing.” She took a long sip of her tea, “Does he even know you have two children now?”

“I don’t know,” Suguru lit a cigarette, “If I didn’t block him on instagram he knows.”

“You see, that’s what I mean,” she put the mug on the coffee table, “You used to be friends and then started dating. We’re friends after we broke up too.”

“It’s different with us, you didn’t cheat on me, I didn’t cheat on you and we dated when we were like 15, so we didn’t even have serious relationship issues.”

Mika tilted her head, “Just a quick chat to see were you guys are at and if it doesn’t work you can tell me ‘I told you so’” she rubbed his shoulder, “You favorite sentence.”

Suguru lifted his eyebrow and took a drag from his cigarette “You just want to steal my children, while I’m gone.”

Mika grinned “Perhaps.”

“I do like to be right.”

Mika held her phone out, Kuroo’s number open.

Suguru groaned, “Fine, but if I get into a fist fight with him you have to pay my bail.”

“Of course.”

He was getting a headache.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, you’re still smoking,” Kuroo grabbed the menu from the table, “You would think with two kids you stopped.”
> 
> “How sweet, Mika told you about my children!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta d like always
> 
> Lots of dialogue 
> 
> For someone who hates Brecht I sure write like him

Surprisingly enough Kuroo immediately agreed to meet him and weirdly enough Suguru agreed to meet him right now, in the café down the road.

So here he was, sitting outside of the café because there was no smoking area inside, of course, iced coffee already half empty, because he’s gay.

He took a long drag of his cigarette, narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. Of course Kuroo was late, he was always late. Nothing has changed, he didn’t even understand why he agreed to this. They’ll talk and Suguru will get angry and Kuroo will call him hysterical and Suguru has to stop himself from stabbing him with a straw.

A deep scowl etched itself into his face. He put out his cigarette and immediately lit another one. Is he getting stood up by his ex? Is this some cruel joke Mika and Kuroo are playing on him? He let her watch his children, this is not okay. If Kuroo doesn’t show up when he’s finished with this cigarette he’ll go home.

Out of the corner of his eyes he spotted a black mop of hair. So he still looks the same.

“Sorry, for being late,” he looked sweaty like he ran, “I couldn’t find a parking spot, why do so many people park here?”

Suguru shrugged, “I don’t know, Tokyo, big city, nine million people living here, around the same amount of cars –“

“Thank you for that explanation,” Kuroo sat down, “I really missed your sarcasm.”

Suguru shot him a fake smile, “So-“

“Why are we sitting outside? It’s barely March?” Kuroo interrupted him. He hated when he interrupted him.

Suguru lifted his cigarette up.

“Oh, you’re still smoking,” Kuroo grabbed the menu from the table, “You would think with two kids you stopped.”

“How sweet, Mika told you about my children!” He shot him a toothy smile that was too large to be natural, “Now you have more leverage to lecture me, I love that!”

Kuroo let out a breath and dropped the menu on the table. He composed himself quickly, trying not to let himself get provoked by Suguru, although he was aware that he was the one that started poking him, “Do you want another coffee and something to eat? Order what you want, I’ll pay.”

“How kind,” Suguru leaned his head to the side, “Why should you pay though? Do you think I don’t have enough money?”

“Stop trying to turn this into a fight, I’m trying to be nice.” Kuroo gave him a sad look. Suguru hated that look. He used to think it was cute but over the time it annoyed him. It was like he used it to guilt Suguru into feeling bad.

“I’m not, you started it,” Suguru took a drag from his cigarette.

“It doesn’t matter,” Kuroo mumbled, “How have you been?”

For some reason Suguru was taken aback by that question. It is the most normal question to ask if you meet a person you haven’t seen in a while, but he did expect that they’d just yell at each other, perhaps fuck and go on their merry way again. Kuroo also looked genuinely interested about him, which was weirdly uncomfortable.

“Fine, uh, I’ve been doing great. With jobs and kids.” Suguru narrowed his eyes at him, a small smirk etching itself on his face, “So great that I can pay the bill.”

“God fucking hell, just let me pay the fucking bill, Suguru.” He still called him by his first name.

“I’m joking, no need to get all angry,” Suguru leaned back in his chair, “If you want to pay the bill, so you can feel superior, you can pay the bill!”

Kuroo’s eyebrows furrowed, “I am not trying to upset you or fight with you, I am trying to talk to you and for us to start getting along again.”

Suguru was nodding slowly in rhythm with Kuroo’s speaking. He chuckled once Kuroo finished, “I know you’re not trying to fight me, you’re trying to … you know,” he made a circle motion with his hand, took a dramatic drag of his cigarette and said, “So you can feel better about yourself!”

Kuroo blinked surprised.

“You know you come to meet me, not to apologize, then you’d admit you did something wrong, but to clear your conscience,” Suguru smiled at him, “You want to see I’m doing okay and am not upset that you cheated on me, so you can go on live your life.”

“I thought we weren’t in a relationship anymore, you ran away and I could not reach you anymore!”

“Ah yes, you never hear of people that are addicted to narcotics disappearing for a couple of days.”

“You were gone for a month and walked out the door telling me to have a good life, Suguru.” Kuroo started to massage his temples.

The waitress came to their table to ask if they want anything. Suguru stared daggers into Kuroo.

“Yes, please. Could we get four Jägermeister shots a Cuba Libre and –“ he gestured at Kuroo.

“Day drinking, classy!” Kuroo mumbled, picking at the hairs on the side of his ear.

“Don’t take the high road now, you and I both know we should be somewhat intoxicated if you want this closure therapy session to work,” Suguru downed the rest of his coffee, “Also I already started drinking at home.”

Kuroo sighed, “Uh, a Cuba Libre too.”

Suguru grinned smugly.

They both drank two shots before they resumed talking to each other, “So closure thing, what do you want to discuss?” Suguru asked.

“Why did you run away?”

Suguru thought about the question for a bit, “Well, I - as you know - I was trying to get sober and when you start doing less to no cocaine anymore, part of the withdrawals is a very heavy depression,” he took a sip of his drink, “and then we had a big fight, so I went out and I started using again and then I was ashamed and also pretty much constantly high. Four weeks pass pretty quickly then.”

Kuroo nodded, he stayed silent.

“Why did you think I broke up with you, didn’t go looking for me and why did you cheat on me? These are questions you should answer.”

Kuroo leaned back into his chair and thought about that for a while, “I don’t know.”

“Cool cool,” Suguru rolled his eyes, “So we’re done now, I can go home to my loving family?”

Kuroo groaned and started to scratch his head, “I mean you could have been dead for all I know.”

“So you don’t look for me or report a missing person, you just fuck someone else. Multiple times.” Suguru lifted his hands above his head, “Makes sense.”

“That’s, that’s not what I meant,” Kuroo covered his face with his hands, “I knew where you were because you still updated your Instagram.”

“Ah, yes I liked to do that when I was high.”

Kuroo swallowed a lump in his throat, he uncovered his face, “At first I didn’t think you actually ended our relationship. Usually you’d be gone one to two days and then show up again. This time you didn’t and you were partying and found new friends and didn’t pick up my calls or responded to my texts. So I thought we were done.”

Suguru was quiet. He had to think about what Kuroo told him. In a way it made sense. If your partner wasn’t showing up anymore for a month and ghosted you, perhaps you would think they broke up with you. But something still irked him, “You did rebound pretty quickly though.”

“I was upset and I just found someone willing to hook up with me,” Kuroo waved it off, “I mean I’m really hot.”

Suguru rolled his eyes. He lit up a new cigarette and just thought for a bit, “Okay, I’ll take it.”

Kuroo nodded solemnly, “You smoke a lot.”

“Don’t ruin this moment with a lecture, I’m this close,” he formed an O with his thumb and index, “To actually forgiving you.”

Kuroo chuckled awkwardly, “Sorry.” Finally Kuroo started downing his drink, “Can I see the kids?”

“I guess.” Suguru pulled out his phone and showed Kuroo his family album, “So I have a set of twins, a girl and a boy. She is Koharu and he is Hikaru.”

“They’re adorable,” Kuroo smiled at the picture, “And their names rhyme.”

“Be careful what you say.”

They did look through more pictures and decided to order another drink. It was nice.

Nice to actually talk. They had many unresolved issues and at least they started to address them. For the rest of their meeting they didn’t even start anymore arguments  
  
He won’t tell Mika that. He won’t tell her he actually had a good time, after all. She likes to be right a little bit too much. Just like him. It’s always a competition with them for some reason.

Suguru smiled at Kuroo, “So…” he lifted up his eyebrows, “Should I tell Mika to watch the kids till tomorrow or should we go our separate ways now?”

Kuroo snorted, “Aw, I was hoping I could see the kids.”

Suguru gave him the neutral face of displeasure.

“I’m joking.” Kuroo got up from the seat, “I’ll pay the bill, you tell Mika to watch the kids.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Berlin many cafés are also bars - no idea if japan also does that. It just fits.
> 
> If you want to follow me my Twitter is @emptyteewurst I draw there


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Kuroo,” Suguru’s movements started to become more sloppy, “Just get a coke Rum like everyone else and move on.”
> 
> Kuroo frowned at him, “But that’s boring!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am currently writing on my phone so there are a lot auto correct “where”s that shouldn’t be there. I’ll find them when I read through it again lmao.
> 
> Why y’all have were and where anyways ?

Mika graciously agreed to watch the kids until tomorrow. She had only one condition – that she was allowed to eat whatever was in his house. Which he was more than fine with. Sure, Mika ate like a teenage boy in the midst of his growth spurt, but having a day off from the kids was worth the 5000 yen he had to repurchase in groceries.

He was wondering if that amount of money was worth to spend to perhaps have sex with his ex, as they could any second now go back to hating each other, but angry sex was fun and he also hasn’t been getting laid since his children were born. If he should not hook up with Kuroo he’d find someone else. He was young and not terribly ugly. His children turned out beautiful, that was telling enough for him.

Suguru and Kuroo moved to a bar they used to go to frequently when they were in college. The atmosphere was nice, the music not too loud and the drinks were cheap. The bar was not a gay bar per se, but since the owner openly supported the LGBTQ+ community and was very outspoken about same sex couples feeling save when they perform PDA, a lot of gay people frequented it.

Suguru was already beginning to become tipsy in the café. Which was most definitely the reason why he agreed to spend more time with Kuroo apart from their budged therapy session. He always has been a relatively light drinker and it’s a good sign that his tolerance didn’t go up by much. His liver was still working properly. He did choose other drugs over alcohol in the past, since he couldn’t deal with alcohol induced hangovers that well.

Suguru decided to drink vodka energies at the bar, since his sleep deprivation slowly started to kick. He has always been simple in his choice of cocktail, some alcohol, distilled with a soft drink, while Kuroo was always very adventurous with his cocktails and a bit of a snob when it came to wine. People usually thought Suguru was the wine snob before they got to know him more personally. People in general thought that Suguru was a snob. To be fair, Suguru came from a snobbish higher middle-class to rich family. Very competitive parents that wanted him to excel academically and were very concerned about their image. Luckily for them Suguru decided to turn into their nightmare.

Suguru was nursing his second drink, watching Kuroo carefully agonize over which daiquiri he should pick now. He listened to him mumble and flip the menu pages, ‘perhaps he should try the drink with Absinth? But daiquiris were his favorite!’

“Kuroo,” Suguru’s movements started to become more sloppy, “Just get a coke Rum like everyone else and move on.”

Kuroo frowned at him, “But that’s boring!”

“I’ve been drinking by myself for the past …” Suguru narrowed his eyes deep in thought, “Hours!”

“You’re over exaggerating.”

Suguru rolled his eyes, “Obviously!” He touched Kuroo’s arm, “Or are you trying to make me drunk so you can kill me without me fighting back.”

Kuroo blinked I’m surprise, “What?” He started to chuckle nervously, “Why would you say that!”

“Well, you’re obviously not filling me up to fuck me,” Suguru smiled at him, “That would be rape and you’re not a rapist!”

“But a murderer apparently,” Kuroo chuckled, “You always get very open with your thoughts as soon as you had a few drinks.” He turned to the barkeeper.

She looked at him curiously and smiled friendly, “Did you decide already?”

“How about you surprise me?”

Her smile immediately disappeared, “You’ll get coke and rum.”

Kuroo nodded, “Fair enough.”

Finally he started to drink his first drink at the bar. Kuroo had a pretty high tolerance, compared to Suguru anyways, “So what made you decide to spend more time with me?”

“I dunno,” Suguru shrugged, “I was slightly tipsy, your hair is less mop like than usual and I guess we had a good discussion.”

“That’s good!” Kuroo started to smile like an idiot.

“Perhaps I’m a little horny too.” Suguru was truly at the point were he says whatever he wants.

Kuroo smirked at him.

“Don’t look at me like that, you look stupid.”

“Wow, sorry!” He took a sip, “so the kids –“

“Why do you want to talk about my kids now?” Suguru’s face twisted into a scowl, “That’s like really unsexy. Then I get sad and happy and cry and also I don’t wanna talk about my children after I tried to flirt with you.” He downed the rest of his drink, “Also like we’re not there yet,” he turned to the barkeeper, “Can you get me another vodka energy and a shot, sweetie?”

“What shot?”

“Tequila?”

“Silver or Gold?”

“You could pour industrial petroleum directly down my throat and I wouldn’t care.”

She sighed, “If I didn’t know you I’d have given you water in a shot glass.”

He winked at her, “Look, I’m not trying to make you part of my life or anything like that.” As soon as the shot glass hit the table he lifted it up and downed it. He ignored the salt and the lemon, “But you’re like trying to deeply reconnect with me for some reason.”

“I’m trying to reconnect with you because I care about you.”

Suguru lifted his hands into the air, “you don’t fucking care about me, you fucked someone else like the second after you were sure I was gone, you just want to clear your conscience!”

Kuroo touched his forehead like he was getting a headache, “Are we back at that point again? I already told you earlier that’s not the reason why I’m trying to talk to you,” he drank the rest of his drink, “and so what if I’m trying to clear my conscience. What is so wrong about that? It obviously means it’s important to me that we have a good relationship again!”

Suguru huffed. He looked around the bar, taking a few minutes to think. He couldn’t answer the question and he didn’t want to admit that. He hated to lose a fight, “You know, maybe this was a mistake after all, I’ll just,” he got up from the bar stool, “go and talk to that cute, chubby guy over there. He probably has a bigger dick than you anyways.”

Kuroo had to close his eyes for a second. He did know that it would be difficult to keep Suguru engaged. He was well aware that he had to walk around eggshells not to upset him because of their difficult relationship and that they had a long way to go without starting a fight about any tiny miscommunication. Even though he was all too aware, it still upset and surprised Kuroo how petty Suguru could be. How childish Suguru would end a conversation that didn’t go how he planned it out in his mind. Kuroo took a deep breath before he answered. He didn’t want to walk into the very obvious trap, “Suguru, please sit down again and we’ll talk about something else.”

Suguru was still scowling at him.

From the other side of the bar, the chubby guy Suguru was mentioning was walking over to them. Both of them stared at him confused, “Is that guy bothering you?” He gestured at Kuroo with his beer.

“Who the fuck are you?” Kuroo decided to direct his anger at that guy.

“Yeah, mind your own fucking business!” Suguru adjusted his stance to be more upright. Nothing has changed. As soon as someone gets in between their argument they turn on them, “Don’t act like I’m a little girl that can’t defend herself, I’ll rip your heart out through your kneecaps!”

The guy decided to back off after both of them ganged up on him. Accepting that Suguru was just using him to get a rise out of him. It was too naïve to think, just because Suguru looks at someone for a second he’s actually interested. If he would have approached him differently, perhaps he would have had a chance with Suguru.

“I hate when guys do that,” Suguru sat back down, “Acting like I’m weak. I’m way taller than him.”

“It’s because you’re a twink.”

“I’m not a twink, don’t even say that word!” Both started to laugh, “At least we still yell at people together when they stick their noses where they don’t belong.” Suguru said.

“Cheers to that.” Both clinked their glasses together, “At least he backed off quickly.”

“Oh yeah, the stupid ones stick around to start a fight with both of us.” Suguru said.

“We really learned how to fight with each other and strangers.” Kuroo wasn’t sure that that was a great skill to have. They must have fought with each other at least once a day as soon as they met each other. If they weren’t attracted to each other, he didn’t know if they would have been friends. But then again, they had a lot in common. The reason they fought so much with each other might have been precisely because they were attracted with each other. They both are competitive, both loved volleyball, both were snarky and sarcastic and both like cats. If they weren’t attracted to each other maybe they wouldn’t have gotten past a friendly rivalry. Being a teenager and being really attracted to someone made you angry, for no reason and getting together while you’re at a difficult point in your life makes you start to hate each other, because there is nothing but bad experiences.

“I remembered why I did like you.” Suguru leaned his head onto his hand.

Kuroo was curious now, “Go on.”

“You weren’t afraid to argue with me.” Suguru looked at Kuroo. He saw how Kuroo looked at him with big eyes, “Throughout my entire life people immediately backed down as soon as I got a little bitchy with them. But you didn’t.” Immediately after Suguru said that, he turned to the barkeeper, “Can you get me an ashtray?”

“Do you want to know what I liked about you?” Kuroo smiled again in a manner Suguru thought looked stupid.

“Unsure, but I’m intrigued,” Suguru crossed his legs, a lit cigarette dangling from his hand.

“You’re very beautiful.”

“You’re an idiot.” His entire stance immediately dropped, unimpressed.

“Kidding.”

“So I’m not beautiful?”

“That’s not what I was trying to imply at all,” Kuroo started to talk with his hands. He usually did that when he started to get nervous, “I liked that you were real with me.”

Suguru frowned, “What do you mean?”

“You always adjusted your personality according to whom you were talking to. To get what you want from them.” Kuroo explained.

“Because I’m smart.”

“But to me,” he choose to ignore that, “You were a douche, because that’s who you are.”

“Wow, I’m very flattered.”

“You were also vulnerable and you’re actually quite funny.”

“Actually?”

“I should stop talking now.” Kuroo chuckled.

“Yeah, you get really unattractive when you start to ramble.”

They smiled at each other.

“How about we get out of here and I’ll show you my apartment.” Kuroo got his wallet.

“Sounds like a great idea.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter is @emptyteewurst yeehaw

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on twitter perhaps @emptyteewurst


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